Office furniture light structure

ABSTRACT

An office furniture light structure includes a securing element adapted for mounting on a piece of office furniture in a suitable position, and a lighting device. The securing element is provided with at lest one outwardly extending movable element. The movable element has a distal end connected to the lighting device in a movable manner. In use, the lighting device can be moved to a suitable position by means of the movable element to sufficiently illuminate a place.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an office furniture light structure,more particularly to a lighting device that can be moved to a suitableposition on a piece of office furniture to provide sufficientillumination.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

With reference to FIG. 1, in an office where the main source of lightcomes from ceiling lighting fixtures, the area beneath a shelf 1 and atable surface 11 is relatively dark. In general, a conventional lightingdevice 13 (e.g., a fluorescent lamp) is mounted on a bottom side of theshelf 1 to illuminate that area. However, as the lighting device 13 canonly mounted at a fixed position and is not removable, the lighting zoneis restricted to that below the lighting device 13. The other dark areasor zones are not properly illuminated. Improvements are thereforenecessary.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the present invention, a securing element is adapted to be mounted ona piece of office furniture in a suitable position. The securing elementis provided with at least one outwardly extending movable element. Themovable element has one end connected to a lighting device in a movablemanner. In use, through displacement of the movable element, thelighting device can be moved to a suitable position.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide an officefurniture light structure that includes a securing rail that has twoends respectively provided with an outwardly extending movable plate.The movable plates have one end insertably disposed in a track of thesecuring rail by means of rollers. A lighting device is movablyconnected to the other end of each of the movable plates. In use, bymeans of the rollers displacing in the track of the securing rail, thelighting device can displace left and right. Besides, by means of themovable plates, the lighting device can be pulled outwardly or pushedinwardly with respect to a bottom side of a shelf to sufficientlyilluminate the area beneath the shelf which is relatively dark.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an officefurniture light structure that includes a fixed slide rail and outwardlyextending movable slide rails provided at both ends of the fixed sliderail. The movable slide rails are connected to the fixed slide rail bymeans of connecting elements. A lighting device is connected to freeends of the movable slide rails by means of connecting elements. In use,by means of the movable slide rails and the fixed rail that can displaceforwardly and rearwardly as well as left and right with respect to abottom side of a shelf, the lighting device can be pulled outwardly orpushed inwardly or can displace left and right with respect to thebottom side of the shelf to sufficiently illuminate the area beneath theshelf and above a table surface where it is relatively dark.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the present inventionwill be more clearly understood from the following detailed descriptionand the accompanying drawings, in which,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional office furniture lightstructure;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the first preferred embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the second preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan schematic view of slide rails of the second preferredembodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a sectional schematic view of the slide rails of the secondpreferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of an office furniturelight structure according to the present invention is shown to include asecuring element and a lighting device 3.

The securing element in this embodiment is a securing rail 2 provided ona bottom side 12 of a shelf 1 of a piece of office furniture. Thesecuring rail 2 is provided with a track 22 having two ends. Two movableplates 23 are respectively provided at the ends of the track 22 atsuitable positions and extend outwardly therefrom. One end of each ofthe movable plates 23 is insertably mounted in the track 22 of thesecuring rail 2 by means of a roller 25. The roller 25 slidablydisplaces along the track 22 to enable the corresponding movable plate23 to displace left or right of the track 22. The securing rail 2 isfurther provided a stop block 24 at either distal end to restrictdisplacement of the rollers 25 within the space defined by the track 22between the stop blocks 24 and to thereby prevent slippage of therollers 25 out of the track 22. The stop blocks 24 are secured on thebottom side 12 of the shelf 1 by means of retaining elements 21. In thisembodiment, the retaining elements 21 are screws but, as well known inthe art, can be substituted by other elements. The lighting device 3 ispivotally connected to the other end of each of the movable plates 23 ona bottom side. In this embodiment, the lighting device 3 is afluorescent lamp. The movable plates 23 and the lighting device 3 aremovably connected by means of connecting elements 27.

After assembly, by means of the rollers 25 at one end of each of themovable plates 23 that can slidably displace along the track 22 of thesecuring rail 2, the lighting device 3 can displace left and right ofthe securing rail 2. Besides, as the movable plates 23 can swingsideways, the lighting device 3 can be pulled outwardly or pushedinwardly with respect to the bottom side 12 of the shelf 1 so that therelatively dark area beneath the shelf 1 and above the table surface 11is properly illuminated and there is no more shade.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show another embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, the securing element is a fixed slide rail 4. The fixedslide rail 4 is provided on a bottom side 12 of a shelf 1 (see FIG. 1)and includes an upper slide rail 41 and a lower slide rail 43. The lowerslide rail 43 is capable of slidable displacement on the upper sliderail 41. The upper slide rail 41 is secured to the bottom side 12 of theshelf 1 by means of retaining elements 21. In this embodiment, theretaining elements 21 are but not limited to screws. The lower sliderail 43 is provided with an upwardly projecting stop plate 45 at eitherdistal end such that the displacement of the lower slide rail 43 on theupper slide rail 41 is restricted to the space defined by the two stopplates 45.

The lower slide rail 43 is further provided with a plurality ofoutwardly extending movable slide rails 5 at both ends thereof. Themovable slide rails 5 are each provided with upper and lower slidingrails 51, 53, the lower sliding rails 53 being capable of slidablydisplacement on the upper sliding rails 51. Each upper sliding rail 51has a substantially central portion connected to a bottom side of thelower slide rail 43 of the fixed slide rail 4 by means of connectingelements 27. Each lower sliding rail 53 has two ends respectivelyprovided with an upwardly projecting stop 55 such that slidabledisplacement of the lower sliding rail 53 is restricted to the spacedefined by the projecting stops 55 at both ends. A lighting device 3 isconnected to the end of each of the lower sliding rails 53 opposite tothe fixed slide rail 4 at a bottom side by means of connecting elements27. In this embodiment, the lighting device 3 is a fluorescent lamp.

With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper and lower slide rails 41, 51,and the upper and lower sliding rails 43, 53 are provided with foldededges 46 on opposed sides thereof. Balls 47 are provided in the foldededges 46. By means of the rolling movement of the balls 47, the lowerslide rail 43 and the lower sliding rail 53 can slidably displace on theupper slide rail 41 and the upper sliding rail 51, respectively. Betweenthe folded edges 46 on the side of the adjacent balls 47, there areprovided securing frame blocks 48 such that the upper and lower sliderails 41, 43 can be movably connected and that the upper and lowersliding rails 51, 53 can be movably connected.

After assembly, by means of the lower sliding rail 53 that displacesleft and right on the upper sliding rail 51 and by means of the lowerslide rail 43 that displaces left and right on the upper slide rail 41,the lighting device 3 can be pulled outwardly or pushed inwardly or candisplace leftward or rightward with respect to the bottom side 12 of theshelf 1 so that the area beneath the shelf 1 and above the table surface11 can be sufficiently illuminated.

Although the present invention has been illustrated an described withreference to the preferred embodiment thereof, it should be understoodthat it is in no way limited to the details of such embodiment but iscapable of numerous modifications within the scope of the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An office furniture light structure, comprising:asecuring rail, being adapted to be secured on a bottom side of a shelfof a piece of office furniture, said securing rail being provided with atrack; at least one movable plate that has one end insertably disposedin said track by means of a roller, a lighting device being pivotallyconnected to the other end of said movable plate on a bottom side distalto said securing rail, whereby said roller can displace within saidtrack of said securing rail to enable said lighting device to displaceleft or right or to enable said lighting device to swing sideways sothat said lighting device can be pulled outwardly or inwardly withrespect to said bottom side of said shelf so that a relatively dark areabeneath said shelf above a table surface can be sufficientlyilluminated.
 2. An office furniture lighting structure, comprising:afixed slide rail, said fixed slide rail including upper and lower sliderails, said upper slide rail being adapted to be secured on a bottomside of a shelf of a piece of office furniture, said upper and lowerslide rails being movably connected; at least one movable slide railthat is provided on said fixed slide rail and includes upper and lowersliding rails, said upper sliding rail having a substantially centralportion connected to a bottom side of said lower slide rail of saidfixed rail, a lighting device being connected to the end of said lowersliding rail distal to said fixed slide rail on a bottom side; wherebysaid lighting device can be pulled outwardly or pushed inwardly or candisplace leftward or rightward with respect to said bottom side of saidshelf so that a relatively dark area beneath said shelf and above atable surface can be sufficiently illuminated.
 3. The office furniturelight structure as defined in claim 1, wherein said securing rail hastwo ends provided with two stop blocks, respectively, such thatdisplacement of said roller along said track is restricted to a spacedefined by said stop blocks and said roller is prevented from slippage.4. The office furniture light structure as defined in claim 1 or 2,wherein said lighting device is a fluorescent lamp.
 5. The officefurniture light structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said upper andlower slide rails and said upper and lower sliding rails are eachprovided with folded edges on opposed sides thereof, balls beingdisposed in each of said folded edges such that said lower slide railand said lower sliding rail can slidably displace on said upper sliderail and said upper sliding rail, respectively, by means of said balls,a securing frame block being provided between opposed folded edgesbetween adjacent balls to enable said upper and lower slide rails andsaid upper and lower sliding rails to be movably and insertablyconnected.
 6. The office furniture light structure as defined in claim 2or 5, wherein said lower slide rail and said lower sliding rail are eachprovided with an outwardly projecting stop plate at either end such thatdisplacement of said lower slide rail on said upper slide rail anddisplacement of said lower sliding rail on said upper sliding rail isrestricted to a space defined by the corresponding stop plates thereof.